1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plastic bags, an aperture handle construction for thermoplastic films and plastic bags, and a dispensing rack.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Thin-gauge thermoplastic films and plastic bags are known to have apertures which serve as handles and to have apertures used for suspending the films or bags on racks. The racks generally have two arms extending parallel to each other for supporting a stack of the bags for dispensing them one at a time. T-shirt style bags are also known to have strap handles extending upwardly from opposite sides of the mouth.
An aperture handle may be die-cut and configured to be grasped for carrying the bag. The two most common conventional handle designs are round and oval. Round handle apertures generally have stronger strength characteristics but are usually not very comfortable to carry. Handle comfort can be improved by making bags with a heavier film gauge, or by increasing the film thickness in the handle region. This is the case in "thick-thin" versions of plastic bags in which the upper strip of bag material is a thicker gauge than the body in order to improve handle comfort. Handle apertures of an oval configuration have a top portion which is a straight horizontal edge that typically cuts right into the carrier's hand, causing discomfort for the carrier. Comfort for this handle style can be improved by attaching a plastic patch directly inside the bag wall prior to the handle die-cut operation, hence doubling up the material and improving the handle padding.